How many of you work in a business/field where software is REQUIRED to perform?
Answer: Everyone
There is a push at the federal level this year to encourage companies to develop and release software that is more secure at its core, functionally more focused on the fundamentals of data protection. In conjunction with that effort (which is a GREAT idea) there is new guidance available from CISA and the FBI which helps procurement teams to assess the safety of potential software before purchase and deployment.
Now, what does all of that really mean?
If you own/run or work in a modern SMB (0-1000 employees) then you may or may not have a procurement team. What I see most often is that the department head/manager where a particular software will be utilized is tasked with research and vetting. Ok fine, that makes a certain amount of sense. The manager will know the needs of the department and can assess functional improvements or efficiency gains that the software may offer. However, (no offense manager in question) how many people reading this post have someone on the team who is qualified to assess the technical safety of a given software platform? Answer....
Which is why I think this resource from CISA/FBI is a great first step in supporting our SMB community by offering education and guidelines for making higher quality decisions about the software we introduce in our businesses.
Harden the Target, Stay Vigilant!
Happy Friday!
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